Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-04-15
THE BLUE eRoTTo OF NAPLES.

Some Unfortunate Explorers Who VENT
ured There RashIy.
A terrified English matron insisted upon
relating to me her all but fatal experience in
the grotto, but having started from Naples
with the hope of seeing the cerulean TINS
represented in the art magazines at Naples, I
would not be discouraged. The sensation of
lying flat in the boat to avoid complete I'M
mersion while being carried into the opening
at the base of the lofty bluff is not a most
enviable one, and confess our moments OF
delight were not enhanced by our Jealous
Capriote who, seemingly to while away the
tedium until wave came to carry us in,
with the most sanctimonious of expressions,
related how many hundreds had been de-
tanned in the grotto for venturing therein
when the sea was rough.
A French painter had been imprisoned in
the grotto four days and lived only on a
bottle of rum he had fortunately carried in
his pocket. We were minus rum but full of
enthusiasm We waited breathlessly for the
moment to be launched into the grotto. With
both hands against the mouth of the rock the
Capriote boatman watched his opportunity,
and with a tremendous wave we were carried
into the spacious grotto, which is So meters In
length, 80 in width and ID in height above
the level of the sea, the depth of water being
about q meters The effect is dazzling.
Every object il contained Ss.
exquisite blue tint, and ssS
seemed silvereG ~ sg ss sssz
The water .has q surg lsing sisss -. assssss
human body, and forIS franc our boatmah
dipped into it, and S1 appearing his body
was as white as silver, his face as black as a
Negroes. About, the middle, on the right,
there is small. passage with wornout steps,
i 1.
now built up at the top, which is said to have
been secret communication with the town
of Capri at the time of Tiberius. According
to ValeIy this superstition is correct, but the
Prusssan painter who discovered the cave was
led to seek it by reading of a staircase by
which Barbaressa used to descend into a sub
/ terranean retreat from the town of Anacapri,
| on the hill As the tourist is indebted to the
| Prussian painter for this unsurpassed glimpse
of lovelness, he is entitled to the benefit of
the doubt-Cor. Baltimore American.
Lee and the Wounded Federal.
The story was originally told by "Grand
Army" man, who had been viewing the pam
Drama of the battle of Gettysburg, and who
said: II was at the battle of Gettysburg my
self, and an incident occurred there which
largely changed my views of the southern
people. had been a most bitter anti-soutfs4
man, and fought and cursed the Confederate.
desperately. could see nothing good
OF thern-- The last day of the fig
badly wounded, u ball shattered my "a
I lay on the ground not far rrus, = KS
Ridge, and as Gen. Lee ordered his 5At,,es !.
he and his officers rode near HIS. AS thew
came along 1 recognized him. sr,d. though
faint from exposure and loss Of blood. Iraised
up my hands, looked Lee Ia the face. and
Shouted as loud as 1 coulSas Hurrah for the
Unionl'
"The general heard gne, looked, stopped his
horse, dismounted ard came toward me. 1
confess that first thought he meant to kill
me. But as he Came up he looked down at
me with such a sad expression upon his face
that all fear left ma, and wondered what
he was about. He extended his hand to me,
and grasping mine firmly and looking right
into my eyes, said: My son, hope that YOU
will soon be WE'LL If live 900 years I shall
never forget the look upon Lees face There
he 1has, defeated, retiring from field that
nsa cost him and his cause almost their last
hope yet he stopped to say such words as
those to a wounded soldier of the enemy who
had tainted him as he passed by As soon
as the general had left me I cried myself
to sleep there upon the bloody ground. -
Book Review in New York Sun.
France to Dig Up the Delphic Temple.
The French government has at last sue
ceeded in obtaining leave from the Greek
| government to search at Delphi for remains
| of the temple which stood there. 1t is sup
! posed that there are priceless treasures buried